Austra, Young Galaxy

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Too many current synth-pop bands pride themselves on sounding cold (I'm looking at you, Ladytron), so a shift toward humanity is a welcome change. The Canadians are leading the charge with groups like Austra and Young Galaxy, both of whom are layering raw emotion onto a genre that traditionally places a huge emphasis on robotic detachment. Austra's tense, nervous sound gets a massive boost from the histrionics of vocalist Katie Stelmanis, while Young Galaxy's midtempo bliss-outs indicate a new direction for an established band, one that speaks directly to the body while offering images of romantic escape. Synth-pop is evolving, and apparently, it's warming up as it ages. With Tasseomancy. 18+.
Sat., Nov. 26, 9 p.m., 2011